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Articles by Chris Chinn
11 things that made my greatest state fair moments
play_arrowStart slideshow The 11 days of the Missouri State Fair are some of my favorite days each year. Livestock shows, 4-H and FFA projects, concerts, and corn dogs — seriously, what’s not to like? The 2026 fair was a memorable one as Missourians gathered in Sedalia to celebrate agriculture, community and America’s 250th birthday.
Inspector stops hidden pest before it could spread
The white, fuzzy substance was hard to see with the human eye. Certainly, the untrained observer would have passed it by without a second glance. However, to the Missouri Department of Agriculture plant protection specialist, that white fuzz meant trouble. This scenario played out last month on an apple tree for sale at a retail location in Missouri. An MDA Plant Pest Control staff member noticed the substance during a routine inspection and identified it as woolly aphids.
5 inducted into Missouri’s Ag Hall of Fame
Just like the Halls of Fame for rock ‘n’ roll, country music or NFL players, the Missouri Ag Hall of Fame includes giants in the industry who laid a foundation for others to follow. More than three years ago, members of the Missouri State Fair Commission and Missouri State Fair Foundation started a discussion about honoring the champions of Missouri agriculture.
Challenge status quo to future-proof the farm
Have you thought about what your farm or ranch will look like in 10 years? Will you still be farming the way you are now? I doubt many of you operate the way you did 10 years ago. What will we say a decade from now? At Chinn Farms, our son is back on the farm full time, and our daughter helps with records and breeding reports from her home on a farm in Saline County, Mo. As the kids returned to the operation, it was critical to make business decisions, not just decisions of the heart.
2 simple moves to prepare your farm for outside threats
Livestock diseases and pests currently found in other parts of the world are a serious threat to the U.S. and Missouri. While the Missouri Department of Agriculture animal health team works to keep commerce moving and protect our state’s livestock industry, producers must remain vigilant. They need to be prepared in case these diseases make their way here. There are two key preparations for livestock owners — a Premises Identification Number and a Secure Food Supply Plan.
Missouri plans America 250th birthday events
On July 4, the U.S. will celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Americans will celebrate in many ways, including parades, festivals, ice cream socials and fireworks, but it will be extra special in 2026. Missouri cities and towns are planning events leading up to and on July 4. The America 250 Commission was formed early in 2025 to begin planning statewide events and to bring communities and groups together for the celebratory goal.
Missouri plans America 250th birthday events
Farm Life Ag Matters: The Missouri State Fair continues the nation’s birthday celebration, but so should rural communities. A LOT OF CANDLES: America is marking its 250th anniversary this year with celebrations across the nation from large cities to small towns. Missouri has a website that allows you to find a local gathering near you. On July 4, the U.S. will celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
Missouri agriculture director's Christmas wishes
It’s that time of the year when youngsters everywhere are finishing their Christmas list for Santa. It doesn’t seem that long ago that my own children wrote lists that included ball gloves, toy tractors and the latest electronic gadget. Children putting together their lists for Santa got me thinking about my wish list for Missouri agriculture. Let’s call it the director’s Christmas list: New trade markets.
Screwworm threat advances toward U.S. border
Livestock owners across the country, particularly cattle producers, are keeping a close eye on Mexico as New World screwworm cases are confirmed closer to the U.S. border. NWS can cause serious harm and tremendous financial loss to the livestock industry. In September, USDA announced a case a mere 70 miles from the Texas border.
Missouri Governor's Agriculture Conference 2025
It is time to celebrate Missouri agriculture through the 51st Governor’s Conference on Agriculture. The Missouri Department of Agriculture is proud to co-host the conference with Gov. Mike Kehoe on Nov. 12-13 at the Wyndham Executive Center in Columbia. We look forward to two full days of learning and relationship building. This conference will be the first with Kehoe.
Missouri State Fair celebrates America 250 with new attractions
August is Missouri State Fair month! Those of you who have followed along for my tenure as director of agriculture know that the Missouri State Fair is my favorite event of the year. I always say the fair is agriculture’s largest family reunion in Missouri. For 11 days, we rekindle old friendships and make new ones at the fairgrounds in Sedalia. The theme for this year’s fair is “Step On In,” and the 2025 logo shows a boot covered with items and activities you will find at the fair.
Missouri agriculture thrives on diversity, grass production
Serving as the Missouri director of agriculture gives me the opportunity to talk in front of many different audiences, from students to agricultural leadership. A question I am asked regularly is what my favorite thing about Missouri agriculture is. That’s sort of like asking me which child is my favorite. There is so much to love about agriculture. My usual response is that I love the diversity of the state’s agriculture. Missouri ranks in the top 10 nationally for 14 different commodities.
Missouri dairy farms innovate with robotic milkers for sustainability
Whether they milk with a robot or through a traditional milking parlor, dairy farmers work hard to provide a delicious, nutritious and versatile product. Last fall, senior staff members at the Missouri Department of Agriculture had the chance to visit two of Missouri’s Grade A dairy farms. Each of these farms is a generational farm, milking cows over several decades, and while they were quite similar, they were still very different.
Tariffs fresh on minds of farmers
By the time you read this column, tractors and planters should be rolling across much of the Show-Me State. Equipment put away last year is out of the barn, fueled up and filled with seed, waiting for the ground to warm enough to begin planting. Farming is a profession of hope and optimism. Do you know anyone in agriculture who isn’t optimistic about the next crop — grain or animal?
Add value to Missouri agriculture, products and people
Mid-January marked the start of my third term as Missouri director of agriculture. Truly, where has the time gone? I am grateful and honored that Gov. Mike Kehoe invited me to stay in this role. Honestly, I am not finished yet. I am not done helping farmers and ranchers across the state and advocating for things that help rural Missouri prosper, like quality connectivity, job growth and health care.
Will new beef plant signal cow herd rebuild?
When my husband, Kevin, and I sold calves a few months back, we had a decision to make: Do we send our heifers or keep them back as replacements? Cattle producers find it tough to pencil out keeping their heifers when prices remain strong at the sale barn. 2024 marked the sixth consecutive year of a nationwide declining beef cow inventory. Missouri is no different. The question is, what will turn that tide toward a rebuilding of the nation’s (and the state’s) cow herd?
Fight for state’s farmers continues
Ag Matters: New faces in government and the ag community provide opportunities for farmers in 2025. Let me begin by saying that it has been an honor to serve as Missouri’s director of agriculture. I never imagined myself in this role, but I love the opportunity to make a difference for Missouri agriculture every day. It is an incredible honor to continue in this seat with Governor-Elect Mike Kehoe’s administration.
Focus on cattle health for tough season ahead
Things look different this time of year on Missouri farms and ranches. As the cold takes hold and snow begins to blow, our farmers and ranchers turn their attention to stewardship of livestock. At Chinn Family Farms, we focus on cattle grazing, hay supply and infrastructure to weather the winter months. Like most livestock owners, we keep our cattle grazing as long as possible. Although dry conditions returned this fall, earlier rainfall helped with grass growth in spring and summer.
Pick Missouri Grown at school, home
October is Farm to School Month, which recognizes the partnership between Missouri farmers and the schools that serve local products on their school menu. There are many ways for schools to plug into local products, and I appreciate those food service directors and administrators who recognize the quality of the products and the benefits to students and growers. Where to begin Serving local products on the school menu can be overwhelming.
Firsts, farewells at Missouri State Fair
I sit writing these words on the fourth day of the 2024 Missouri State Fair. The fair is truly agriculture’s annual family reunion, and this year is no different. It is so good to see friends from all corners of the state. The theme of this year’s fair is “Summer’s Best Stories.” Each day of the fair is a new chapter in the overall book of stories. There are so many memories to be made and stories to be written at the Missouri State Fair.
Missouri’s best summertime ag experiences
County fairs, tasseling field corn and bountiful gardens, welcome to the heart of summer. What a difference this growing season shows over the previous two summers. It has been wonderful to see lush green pastures for livestock and hay production as I drive across Missouri. Timely rains have corn and soybean fields in their prime. This is also peak season for farmers markets. With markets in full swing, so are the Senior and Women, Infants, and Children Farmers Market Nutrition programs.
Midwest’s ag directors welcomed to Missouri
Over the past year, it has been my pleasure to serve as president of the Midwest Association of State Departments of Agriculture, or MASDA. MASDA is one of four regional groups of the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture. I came to the helm in June 2023 at the MASDA annual meeting. Each year, the sitting president hosts the meeting.
Invest in youth to secure ag’s future
This year marks the 36th Missouri Agribusiness Academy, with more than 1,000 alumni to the program. MAbA created lifelong friendships and even several marriages. Former participants work in all areas of agriculture today — seed sales, plant biology, veterinarians, ag teachers and financial lending, just to name a few. Many are home on the family farm, and still others work outside of agriculture but can still advocate for the industry and its importance.
Missouri’s farm perspective on national stage
In February, I had the opportunity to spend time in Washington, D.C., attending the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture Winter Policy Conference, where my counterparts from states across the nation hear from NASDA leadership, USDA officials and industry leaders. Some years, I don’t attend the conference because the Missouri Legislature is in session, and it is important to be in Jefferson City.
Attend Food Waste to Animal Feed - A virtual international conference
The University of Minnesota, University of Pennsylvania, Drexel University and Feedstuffs (a Farm Progress brand) are collaborating on a virtual conference related to the upcycling of food waste into animal feed. The goal is that of communicating and educating those in the feed and feeding industries globally about the value of food waste for livestock in the backdrop of food, climate, and sustainability challenges.
USDA, UGA break ground on new ag research facility
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and the University of Georgia (UGA) College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES) hosted a groundbreaking ceremony Feb. 21 for the new research facility housing the Southeast Watershed Research Laboratory and the Crop Genetics and Breeding Research Unit. The new facility will include a new 31,000 square foot building on the UGA Tifton campus.
How to handle top insect pest in North Carolina cotton
Plant bugs are the top insect problem facing North Carolina cotton farmers and now must be managed throughout the state. At winter cotton production meetings across North Carolina this year, North Carolina State University Extension Entomologist Dominic Reisig stressed that cotton farmers need to scout for plant bugs. He recommends they hire professional consultants or scouts to help them with this important job. At a cotton meeting Feb.
Scientists to probe Yellowstone ecosystem
University of Idaho has received a donation of nearly $650,000 from Joe Ricketts’ Jackson Fork Ranch. The donation will fund research into four native Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE) animal species. Faculty researchers and graduate students in U of I’s College of Natural Resources and College of Science at the Moscow, Idaho, campus will focus on studying four species in the GYE: The genetic, behavioral and physiological adaptive capacity of the pygmy rabbit.
California Citrus Mutual to host showcase
A regulatory perspective on huanglongbing and fruit fly infestations will be a key discussion topic at California Citrus Mutual’s 2024 Citrus Showcase on March 14 at the convention center in Visalia, Calif. The event will include workshops, a trade show and a luncheon featuring keynote speaker Karen Ross, secretary of the California Department of Food and Agriculture.
Straight scoop on poultry litter fertilizer
For farmers near poultry production facilities, poultry litter can present a “cheep” fertilizer option for their fertility programs. That is, if they plan ahead. Kansas State University environmental quality specialist Peter Tomlinson and nutrient management specialist Dorivar Ruiz Diaz explain in the Dec. 21 Agronomy eUpdate that poultry litter’s value to the farmer’s bottom line depends on the nutrient requirements for the field.
Traceability divides U.S. cattle producers
As the U.S. dodges the ever-present threat of foot-and-mouth disease, traceability conversations continue to dominate livestock policy. “The damages of foot-and-mouth disease on American soil would be incalculable,” says Ethan Lane, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association vice president of government affairs. “That’s reality and something we need to be prepared for.” Why now?
PRRS hope in dark times
Scott Dee believes the PRRS reign of terror may be over. Dee spent a 36-year career in the swine industry as a veterinarian in private practice and research. His last 12 years were with Pipestone Research. Though now retired, he remains an asset for the industry as a consultant and continues to pursue solutions to the enigma that is porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome.
Project GREEEN propels Michigan’s plant industries
One of Michigan’s most valuable tools to ensuring the viability and competitiveness of the state’s plant agriculture economy, Project GREEEN, is celebrating 25 years. During that time, the state has invested more than $136.5 million into the initiative to propel Michigan’s plant agriculture. Its return on investment has been impressive.
Find your place in state, national commodity groups
The winter season is the time most commodity groups hold their annual meetings. National and statewide groups bring members together for industry updates and policy discussions. I’ve had the opportunity to attend the state meetings for most agriculture groups over the past couple of months, including cattle, pork, soybeans, corn and Missouri Farm Bureau. These industry meetings are incredibly valuable to producers.
Shipping container farming meets community need
Mario Vitalis, Indianapolis, wanted to expand his expertise from his regular 9-to-5 job to develop his own business and support his community. He dreamed of providing fresh food to his community through urban farming. “I wanted to have a business that can provide for the community — you know, become good to the community and to the people around,” Vitalis says. He founded New Age Provisions Farms. It uses hydroponics to grow fresh produce within shipping containers.
30th High Cotton class recognized
For 30 years, Farm Press has been celebrating U.S. cotton producers for the regenerative production of high-yielding, quality cotton. While sustainable practices, equipment and cotton varieties continue to evolve, the heartbeat of the High Cotton award remains, recognizing the best of this nation’s producers.
Black vulture control options available to producers
Missouri livestock producers are dealing with a relatively new threat to the state’s livestock industry — black-headed vultures. The Missouri Department of Agriculture has worked with our partners at the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and University of Missouri Extension to create an awareness campaign on these predatory birds. When dealing with black vultures, here are five management areas you should understand: 1. Visual identification.
MISSOURI DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR SPECIALTY BLOCK GRANT PROGRAM
Individuals, community organizations and research institutions working to enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops in Missouri need to submit their application by 3:00 p.“Producing specialty crops is becoming more popular each year in Missouri,” stated Director of Agriculture Chris Chinn.“It’s great to see USDA funding specialty crops in our state.” USDA defines specialty crops as fruits, vegetables, dried fruit, tree nuts, honey, horticulture and nursery crops including floriculture.
Bring next generation back to rural Missouri
It’s no secret that many small towns across Missouri and the U.S. are declining in population as young people move away, drawn by further education and job opportunities. Far too often, rural communities do not offer things young people — and young families — need and can get in more urban areas. Some towns are working hard to change the narrative, and it is wonderful to see. Boutiques on the town square offer local places to shop. New and remodeled homes provide places to live.
Missouri products promoted across the globe
In November, I had the opportunity to represent Missouri agriculture on a trade mission to Israel, Greece and the United Arab Emirates. Missouri Gov. Mike Parson led the mission, which also included my cabinet counterpart from the Missouri Department of Economic Development. This was the last of five trade missions I took abroad in 2022 on behalf of our industry. I was able to join Gov. Parson in March for a trade mission trip to the United Kingdom.
Missouri timber products sold around the world
When I became director of agriculture, one of the first things I wanted to do — and needed to do — was learn more about segments of Missouri agriculture that were unfamiliar to me, such as our state’s thriving timber industry. Missouri has more than 15 million acres of forestland. Timberland area is estimated at 14.8 million acres, or 96% of the total forested land. For context, the total land area in Missouri is 44.6 million acres, so this equates to 34% of all state land as forest acres.
Faces of farming shine during fall harvest
Fall is my favorite time of year, and I know many of you feel the same way. My appreciation for the season has nothing to do with pumpkin spice and more to do with the leaves on the trees changing colors, and dragging sweaters from the back of my closet. Even those things do not top my list. I love fall because it is harvest season. Missouri farmers have been anxious to fire up their combines and cotton pickers, ready to reap rewards made available by a difficult season.
Be counted in 2022 Census of Agriculture
We live in a data-driven world. But what good is data if it is not accurate? This fall, the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service is conducting the 2022 Census of Agriculture. I encourage you to complete a questionnaire that will help ensure Missouri agriculture is being properly counted and represented. Every five years, the census of agriculture offers uniform, comprehensive and impartial agricultural data for every county in Missouri and across the nation.
It’s OK to not be OK
We all know that agriculture is not easy and not for the faint of heart. As much as we would love to have bumper crops and chart-topping calves each year, we know most years that is not the case. Producers can get weighed down from the stress that comes with farming the land and the livestock. My team at the Missouri Department of Agriculture has partnered with the AgriSafe Network to launch an AgriStress Helpline.
Fill your plate with fresh farm products
When I was growing up, my grandparents and parents always had large gardens. I remember the hours my grandparents spent pulling weeds and swinging a hoe. They were so proud of that first ripe tomato and mess of green beans. My mother still raises a large garden that allows her to can and freeze many items for the entire family to enjoy through the rest of the year. Many of you were likely raised the same way. Truthfully, is there anything better than those fresh vegetables on your supper plate?
Fairs are family tradition in rural America
The calendar is about to turn over to July. But for many families in Missouri, these next two months are simply known as fair season. Young people across Missouri are putting the last stitches in clothing projects, and taking photographs of butterflies and beautiful wildflowers, all with hopes of taking home a blue ribbon from their county fair. Others are washing show calves daily and exercising pigs, goats and lambs in the front yard while Mom serves as the practice judge. These are fun times.
Broadband boost brings kids back to farm
If lack of connectivity keeps college students from coming home on weekends, how can we expect them to return to the farm after college? Most of you know that one of my push-button issues is the lack of broadband for much of Missouri, mostly rural Missouri. Connectivity to every last mile has been a passion since before I became director of agriculture. The “passion” only magnified when my own children struggled to finish college homework assignments on weekends home at the farm.
Farmers press on amid uncertainty
Green grass. Newborn calves. Tractors and planters rolling across freshly plowed soil. As agriculturalists, we love these signs of spring. Unfortunately, Missouri’s farmers and ranchers face challenges this spring before they ever put a seed in the ground. High fertilizer and fuel costs are adding to an already difficult time as farmers struggle to secure inputs and equipment. These challenges might leave some producers asking if they should even plant in 2022. I encourage you to keep the faith.
Time to reset biosecurity on farm
Earlier this year, USDA officials announced confirmation of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza in wild, migratory birds in five East Coast states. The disease was detected in the Midwest in February when the Indiana State Board of Animal Health confirmed HPAI in a commercial turkey flock in southern Indiana. This is the first case of HPAI in commercial poultry in the U.S. since 2020.
Agriculture makes impact on Missouri’s economy
Gov. Mike Parson and I talk about agriculture as the state’s top economic driver. We are both involved in production agriculture on a daily basis and love it, so much so that we shout its merits from the rooftops. But it is important that we have some figures to back up those comments and quantify the incredible contribution our favorite industry has on Missouri. The Missouri Agricultural and Small Business Development Authority funded a study through Decision Innovation Solutions.
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